[ibglowin]

Need someone with Port experience to help me out here.

I have a double batch of La Bodega Port (6 gallons) bulk aging and I am trying to figure out how much Brandy to add to bump it up. Using Pearsons Square calculator found here

If I have 23L of Wine at 15% ABV and I want to bump it up to 20% ABV using 40% ABV Brandy

The calculator says I need 5 Parts Brandy for every 20 Parts Wine.

With that said 5/20 = 0.25.

23L x 0.25 = 5.75L of Brandy = 7.67 Bottles of Brandy. That seems like a LOT of Brandy! I also have to add the Port Essence packs which I have 2 of and they appear to be ~ 1 liter each so that will dilute it down somewhat.

Do I take that into account somehow or just forget about that dilution factor.

Is my math right on this?

[Tom]

Have you tried this?

Pearson's Square
Pearson's Square is a method for determining the relative amounts of wine and fortifying agents (ie vodka, brandy, grain alcohol, etc) to use to increase the alcohol content in the wine to a given amount. The only required information is the alcohol content of both the wine and the fortifying agent, as well as the desired alcohol content. It makes no difference what scale you use for the alcohol content (U.S. proof, Syke's, or % alcohol) except that Brittish proof must be converted to degrees Sykes by adding 100.
To lay out the square and do the calculations by hand use the following instructions:
A D

C

B E
A - C = E
C - B = D
Where:
A = Alcohol content of the fortifying spirits
B = Alcohol content of the wine
C = Desired final alcohol content of fortified wine
D = Parts of fortifying agent in fortified wine
E = Parts of original wine in fortified wine
For example:
If you use vodka (40% alcohol) as the fortifying agent and wine with an alcohol content of 12% which you want fortified to %18 alcohol:
40 6

18

12 22
40 - 18 = 22
18 - 12 = 6
You would use 22 parts of wine and 6 parts of vodka to obtain a fortified strength of 18% alcohol.
Note:
This can also be used to determine quantities for dilution. (The above example could be considered as diluting the vodka from 40% to 18%.) When diluting with water, just use 0 (zero) for the alcohol content.

[Wade E]

The math is right Mike and its why lots of people use Everclear or substitute some of the brandy for it. It just takes too much and will change the profile too much.

[Randoneur]

You could add less if you used "shine"

It would be a waste of good shine though.

[ibglowin]

Decisions, decisions........

Thanks for double checking the math. Leaning towards Brandy still as I like the theory of it marrying with the wine much better than grain spirits could.

[Wade E]

Grappa would fit the bill pretty good as its grape based.

[Randoneur]

I was just kidding, grain and grape - bad mix.

[ibglowin]

$$$$$$$

Originally Posted by Wade E

Grappa would fit the bill pretty good as its grape based.

[Wade E]

Not over here $$$$$$!

[ibglowin]

You saying Grappa is cheap in your neck of the woods?

Cheapest full bottle over at K&L is about $30 with most bottles selling for $30 for a 375ml split!

We have a local boutique distillery making Pisco and they get $45 for 375ml. Its only 40% ABV as well.......

E&J (VSOP or XO ) locally is about $13 a bottle.